How much area is needed for 45,000 pounds to create only 20 PSI?

To determine how much area is needed for a load of 45,000 pounds to create only 20 PSI, we can use the relationship between pressure, force, and area. Pressure (in PSI) is defined as force (in pounds) divided by area (in square inches).

The formula is:

Pressure = Force / Area

Rearranging this gives us:

Area = Force / Pressure

Plugging in the provided values:

Area = 45,000 pounds / 20 PSI

Calculating this gives:

Area = 2,250 square inches

Therefore, the correct answer is that 2,250 square inches are needed for 45,000 pounds to create only 20 PSI. This calculation illustrates how pressure is inversely proportional to area; as load increases while keeping the pressure constant, the area must also increase accordingly.